I've been checking out the trial - this plug-in is so essential for our band's debut album, I was able to purchase it from a few spontaneous donations by friends and fans! Thanks for this walk-through review indeed!
Wait a minute, when you compared the LOW, MID, HIGH on drum bus, the SATURATION setting where low, isn´t the SATURATION controlling the impulse/activation of the LOW,MID and HIGH ?
Hunter Shaw Agreed :) Was simply conveying that the main point for their usage tonally in this PLUGIN (vs the analog box) is to convey even and odd order harmonic saturation. Cheers, Hunter
Sure, but you have them wrong. At 6:10 you say "Pentode pertains to even order harmonics and the triode is an odd-order harmonics aka third order harmonics, triode... third". But no. Both of those statements are wrong. First off, Pentode (pentagram = five) means the tube has five electrodes and Triode means it has three electrodes. Secondly, Pentode is the 3rd Harmonics (odd order harmonics) and Triode is the 2nd Harmonics (even order harmonics). So your statement was wrong on both levels; both about what the labels mean, and what harmonics they are adding. Please update this video with an annotation to fix it, so that people don't get misinformed about how to use the two saturation types. ;) Anyway, thanks for a great overview video! Very lovely sound. How would you compare this to their Vertigo VSM-3? It's another high-end 2nd and 3rd order tube saturator from Plugin Alliance and seems very similar.
Micke Anderson Sticking up for Pete here. I have this great plugin and the manual agrees exactly with what he said about the harmonic distortion generated by the 6U8A tubes. The pentode circuit generates even order harmonics and the triode circuit generates odd order harmonics. You can actually hear the difference as you balance the levels of the tubes. Pentode is definitely smoother sounding and triode adds some raspiness.
Thanks a lot rick, I definitely learned something too today. The HG-2 manual says: - "Pentode: This control drives the Pentode tube model, generating even order harmonics -- a more pleasing type of saturation that can be found in many tube-based guitar amps." - "Triode: This control drives the Triode tube model, generating third order harmonics -- a grittier type of saturation that can be found in overdriven audio tape." Here's the VSM-3 manual which made me think pentode and triode tubes themselves always generate a certain kind of harmonic, but nope note how VSM-3's tube work exactly opposite to the above: - "3rd Harmonic Zener Blender: The Zener Blender creates 3rd harmonics but will also generate some higher order odd harmonics depending on the amount of Drive. It is like driving a pentode into overload." - "2nd Harmonic FET Crusher: The VSM-3 FET Crusher circuitry produces pure 2nd har- monics emulating a Class A and triode tube stage." So now I don't know what to believe. The VSM-3 manual says "generating odd harmonics, like driving a pentode into overload", and "produces even harmonics, emulating a triode tube stage". But the HG-2 is the opposite, with THEIR triode generating odd harmonics, and their pentode generating even harmonics. So I guess the harmonics are not decided by the tube type like I thought? In that case we should all stop assuming pentode/triode means anything when we see a new plugin, and instead read the manual to discover how THEIR particular tube circuit generates harmonics, instead of assuming the tube has ANYTHING to do with it.
That's right, Micke. You got it. All types of tubes produce both kinds of harmonics, but in the usual audio circuits there is a much higher percentage of even harmonics than odd harmonics. Circuits can be designed, however, to drastically reduce the even harmonics and emphasize the odd ones. So all tubes behave basically the same, and any changes come from the design of the circuit. With reference to the VSM-3, another excellent saturation plugin, Zeners and FETs are solid state devices as I'm sure you know (and in the Zener section, 3rd harmonics are odd harmonics anyway). Where the Vertigo guys get that pentode/triode thing from I have no idea, but notice they mention Class A operation when talking about even harmonics. That's a well spotted contradiction between the two manuals and I can understand the confusion. Well done for pointing it out. I think we should make the P.A. guys aware of it. ; )
Frederik Groborsch Duly noted... but I find using a subtle plugin w TH-cam's poor audio quality makes it tough to hear nuance so I like to push the unit a bit harder than normal. Cheers, Frederik.
One of the great things about the HG-2 is that it allows you to control peaks and increase the RMS without losing punch so making things appear louder (if you want it to) is actually a big feature. For that reason, matching peak level makes more sense to understand what it does in the context that it will be used. Of course you can download the demo and test it in whatever manner makes the most sense for you as well.
Mix Better Now please level match precisely, otherwise there's no point in doing this. also, why always stop the music and say that you're gonna flip the switch now instead of just flipping it. makes comparisons yet again harder.
@@ericjracy I always level-match when A/B-ing so would normally agree with Frederik. But Eric is right: it would only make sense comparing it peak-matched, for the reason he correctly wrote.
I wish you would put the output lower to it matches the original. Anytime you make a mix louder and add a touch of EQ many will think it sounds better.
This is something that keeps coming up but if you look at a set of meters, the HG-2 makes things sound louder but the peaks are actually matched. That's one of the great things about it!
...Otherwise thanks for introduction of this gear, its amazing unit, I already bought it, works perfectly, at least on my drum buses, you will get more power/loudness out of it, even if the db output meters shows exact same value, with or without it.
I've been checking out the trial - this plug-in is so essential for our band's debut album, I was able to purchase it from a few spontaneous donations by friends and fans! Thanks for this walk-through review indeed!
This plug in will make your rock tracks sound like they were produced in the late sixties until 1980. A must have for engineers looking for true grit
I love the HG-2's sound and vibe! Totally agree w you :-)
Thanks for taking the time to do such an in-depth review, my friend. It's much appreciated.
Malcolm Palm My pleasure! Thanks for watching :)
Man I LOVE your intro tag music!!!
A. Ray Woods THANKS! :-)
Wow! Knocked it out of the park!!! Thank you!
Eric Racy Thanks for the kind words, Eric! I appreciate it! Thanks for making the HG-2! 😁👍
Hi Eric!
Wait a minute, when you compared the LOW, MID, HIGH on drum bus, the SATURATION setting where low, isn´t the SATURATION controlling the impulse/activation of the LOW,MID and HIGH ?
Thanks Sir have a good day too.
Pentode and Triode refer to the tube type, not the harmonics they create. Pentode literally has 5 electrodes inside the tube and a Triode has 3.
Hunter Shaw Agreed :) Was simply conveying that the main point for their usage tonally in this PLUGIN (vs the analog box) is to convey even and odd order harmonic saturation. Cheers, Hunter
Sure, but you have them wrong. At 6:10 you say "Pentode pertains to even order harmonics and the triode is an odd-order harmonics aka third order harmonics, triode... third". But no. Both of those statements are wrong.
First off, Pentode (pentagram = five) means the tube has five electrodes and Triode means it has three electrodes.
Secondly, Pentode is the 3rd Harmonics (odd order harmonics) and Triode is the 2nd Harmonics (even order harmonics).
So your statement was wrong on both levels; both about what the labels mean, and what harmonics they are adding. Please update this video with an annotation to fix it, so that people don't get misinformed about how to use the two saturation types. ;)
Anyway, thanks for a great overview video! Very lovely sound. How would you compare this to their Vertigo VSM-3? It's another high-end 2nd and 3rd order tube saturator from Plugin Alliance and seems very similar.
Micke Anderson Sticking up for Pete here. I have this great plugin and the manual agrees exactly with what he said about the harmonic distortion generated by the 6U8A tubes. The pentode circuit generates even order harmonics and the triode circuit generates odd order harmonics.
You can actually hear the difference as you balance the levels of the tubes. Pentode is definitely smoother sounding and triode adds some raspiness.
Thanks a lot rick, I definitely learned something too today.
The HG-2 manual says:
- "Pentode: This control drives the Pentode tube model, generating even order harmonics -- a more pleasing type of saturation that can be found in many tube-based guitar amps."
- "Triode: This control drives the Triode tube model, generating third order harmonics -- a grittier type of saturation that can be found in overdriven audio tape."
Here's the VSM-3 manual which made me think pentode and triode tubes themselves always generate a certain kind of harmonic, but nope note how VSM-3's tube work exactly opposite to the above:
- "3rd Harmonic Zener Blender: The Zener Blender creates 3rd harmonics but will also generate some higher order odd harmonics depending on the amount of Drive. It is like driving a pentode into overload."
- "2nd Harmonic FET Crusher: The VSM-3 FET Crusher circuitry produces pure 2nd har- monics emulating a Class A and triode tube stage."
So now I don't know what to believe. The VSM-3 manual says "generating odd harmonics, like driving a pentode into overload", and "produces even harmonics, emulating a triode tube stage". But the HG-2 is the opposite, with THEIR triode generating odd harmonics, and their pentode generating even harmonics.
So I guess the harmonics are not decided by the tube type like I thought? In that case we should all stop assuming pentode/triode means anything when we see a new plugin, and instead read the manual to discover how THEIR particular tube circuit generates harmonics, instead of assuming the tube has ANYTHING to do with it.
That's right, Micke. You got it.
All types of tubes produce both kinds of harmonics, but in the usual audio circuits there is a much higher percentage of even harmonics than odd harmonics. Circuits can be designed, however, to drastically reduce the even harmonics and emphasize the odd ones.
So all tubes behave basically the same, and any changes come from the design of the circuit.
With reference to the VSM-3, another excellent saturation plugin, Zeners and FETs are solid state devices as I'm sure you know (and in the Zener section, 3rd harmonics are odd harmonics anyway). Where the Vertigo guys get that pentode/triode thing from I have no idea, but notice they mention Class A operation when talking about even harmonics.
That's a well spotted contradiction between the two manuals and I can understand the confusion. Well done for pointing it out.
I think we should make the P.A. guys aware of it. ; )
hard to judge the quality without correct level matching. louder = better.
Frederik Groborsch Duly noted... but I find using a subtle plugin w TH-cam's poor audio quality makes it tough to hear nuance so I like to push the unit a bit harder than normal. Cheers, Frederik.
One of the great things about the HG-2 is that it allows you to control peaks and increase the RMS without losing punch so making things appear louder (if you want it to) is actually a big feature. For that reason, matching peak level makes more sense to understand what it does in the context that it will be used. Of course you can download the demo and test it in whatever manner makes the most sense for you as well.
Mix Better Now please level match precisely, otherwise there's no point in doing this. also, why always stop the music and say that you're gonna flip the switch now instead of just flipping it. makes comparisons yet again harder.
Great call, Eric! You really made a wonderful box. Huge treat to the audio world :)
@@ericjracy I always level-match when A/B-ing so would normally agree with Frederik. But Eric is right: it would only make sense comparing it peak-matched, for the reason he correctly wrote.
Great Review. An excellent song. So much 60s. Love it.
Great Review!
Joey Fernandez Thanks Joey! You digging it so far? Pretty close to the hardware, right?!
I haven't heard the HG-2 HW, but read that it's 99.5% there.
Great video man!
bx_dirk Thank you, Dirk! Really appreciate the support :)
Great job!
Jake Antelis Thanks Jake! ✌️👍
Reminds me of the "Friends" theme (of sorts)! 👍
Hymn
i. Am Hymn It's a band called the New Mastersounds. They're great :)
Mix Better Now Righteous... will check them out, thx... 👍
Hymn
Is this a Beatles song?
Great drum tone! Would love to see a video about those!!
Great idea! I'll have to do a Drum Mix breakdown vid soon! :-)
:D
That you for doing this video.
fullclipaudio You're very welcome :)
Very nice. Thanks.
Cysne Produções Thanks! :-)
I wish you would put the output lower to it matches the original. Anytime you make a mix louder and add a touch of EQ many will think it sounds better.
This is something that keeps coming up but if you look at a set of meters, the HG-2 makes things sound louder but the peaks are actually matched. That's one of the great things about it!
I second what Eric said, Keef... Gotta give props to the guy who invented the HG-2! ;-)
nice one!
clive saunders Thank you! :)
...Otherwise thanks for introduction of this gear, its amazing unit, I already bought it, works perfectly, at least on my drum buses, you will get more power/loudness out of it, even if the db output meters shows exact same value, with or without it.
Great video, but the plosives on your mic are really bad.
Reading NFR on a plugin always let me think of how much actually real personal neutral opinion flew into such reviews.
Does a comparison. The plugin makes it louder. "yep i like this a lot". Okay buddy Im pretty sure I could truck people by simply turning things up.